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I live in N. Ireland, which has a MAJOR problem with sectarianism. As Im American, i grew up without this, no church in state, etc. So I have a really hard time understanding why they carry on with this segregation of children. Surely, children are not of any religion? Do you not need to be of the age of reckoning to be considered a religion? Also, all children(despite it not being legally mandatory) are urged to wear the school uniform, which means that outside of school they are still visibly one or the other.(protestant or catholic) Over the summer, a catholic schoolboy was battered to death by a gang of mostly grown protestant boys, for being catholic. Would this had happened if these boys had been educated alongside other catholics, and had been urged to build relationships with them? How many more children should die before the government here takes what i see as the most sensible action possible to move the peace process forward? Do you beleive that there is ANY benefit at all?

2006-09-20 04:15:06 · 8 answers · asked by Anonymous in Education & Reference Primary & Secondary Education

the main point people are missing is that these schools are not teaching ALL religions, or in a non-denominational manner. its simply like going to service or mass, teaching strictly catholic or protestant religion, and as a parent you have very few integrated schools to choose and space is limited, and even then the children are seperated into groups within the classes for R.E. And does anyone beleive that it should be our job as parents, and not pure strangers who should be teaching our children spirituality and morals?

2006-09-20 08:01:06 · update #1

8 answers

Teaching separate religions in separate schools is certainly a recipe for disharmony - and you live among the perfect example of that.

Personally, I don't agree with the teaching of religion as a truth in school. Science has proven use, it behaves reproducibly and measurably, whereas religion is just what one person believes, usually on the basis of what they've been told by other people.

But I do think there's a place for teaching about society and how we as individuals fit into it - which might include comparative religion.

2006-09-20 04:33:13 · answer #1 · answered by gvih2g2 5 · 0 0

Sorry to answer a question with questions .....but.....

Why do we need to teach religion per se? Why can we not teach about being human - full stop? Do not all the religions, regardless of denomination, have exactly the same basic principles for the benefit of the individual and society as a whole?:
Respect one another
respect yourself
Respect your property
Respect other's property
Respect other's beliefs
Don't impose your values on anyone else
Don't steal
Don't murder
Don't use slander or libel
etc. etc. etc. ..... These are not beliefs, they are civilised facts.

Why can't we just teach our children from the word go about being HUMAN, take the Bible, Koran, and any other religious book out of the equation, at a later age, say post 11yrs, teach them about the various and varied BELIEFS that exist - in the same way philosophy is taught? Which by the way isn't normally taught, if at all in schools, until at least post 15/16yrs: If it's considered too complicated to teach, and too soon to expect a young mind to grasp the complexities of philosophy - why is it not regarded the same for the complexities of religion? After all, when it comes down to it, just like philosophy, religion is only a belief system

I have my own belief system that is personal to me, it does not embrace a known religion, but is mine alone. It does not hurt or influence anyone nor imposes or impinges on anyone. There are no leaders. There are no followers. There is no-one I look up to and no-one I look down at. In turn no-one regards me in either way either. I follow the basic rules of being human. It has no name and I neither urge others into pacifism nor violence because of it. What's wrong with that?

It is my belief that religion, whichever one you choose to belong to, is the main perpetrator for at least 75 percent of the conflict between men, women, children, communities, countries - the world.

2006-09-24 09:25:16 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0 0

I feel that keeping religion out of schools is a huge mistake. Why is it that a person can not read a bible in school but they can in jail? What does that say for the world around us today? I think we've hit a very sad time. Children need to be taught about religion - not necessarily a denomination - but about religion as a whole that way maybe you wouldn't have the denominational related hatred that you've spoken of. I believe there's a lot to be benifited by if we could just reintroduce religion back not only into our schools but back into every aspect of our everyday living. Maybe there would be more peace amongst all.

2006-09-20 11:25:34 · answer #3 · answered by Angelina 5 · 0 0

I think it's important to teach about religion in schools but (and this is a big but), I don't think there should be any faith assumption or indoctrination, unless of course it's a faith school. I say this because I think it's vital for children to understand all religions and the basic tenanments of them. Ignorance breeds contempt of that which they do not understand and think is strange or threatening.

When I was at schooi I learnt about Sikhs, Muslims, Christians (a lot) and Buddhists. Sadly, my own religion was neglected, despite being widespread throughout the world. Ironically, this led to me being mercilessly teased and asked all manner of stupid questions which stemmed from the fact the other children knew so little about what I believed.

However, at least this means I can understand other people's beliefs a little bit more and empathise. To understand something is to stop it being scary and strange.

2006-09-20 11:33:21 · answer #4 · answered by Rachel O 3 · 0 0

I think religion can certainly be taught alongside science (many scientists are staunch believers) and it should be taught as it is such a big part of many peoples' lives. However, I do think that there should not be segregated schools, all religions should be celebrated equally and in this way tolerance through understanding may result.

2006-09-20 13:17:26 · answer #5 · answered by Purple 8 4 · 0 0

i don't really like segregated schools, religious or otherwise, but i think religious education in schools is vital.
kids should be taught about all religions though (even/especially in segregated schools), about the good points of each, about morals and the values that seem common to most religions.
i think only if kids are exposed to all values and beleifs, and given guidance in their moral development, only then can society strat to turn itself around.

2006-09-20 11:20:18 · answer #6 · answered by phedro 4 · 0 0

I think that religion in a philosophy class in high school is fine. No earlier than high school though, and certainly not like science.

2006-09-20 11:23:25 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0 0

both subjects have reasons to believe they are lies so teaching them both is a good idea as the children can decide which is more believable themselves.

2006-09-20 11:30:15 · answer #8 · answered by Duncan R 2 · 0 0

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